With an impressive roster of young players, the Houston Texans are already one of the most exciting teams in the NFL and have the potential to become one of the league’s elite.
Their 22:17 win against the Broncos showed once again that the difficult reconstruction was a thing of the past and the fans’ patience was rewarded.
Led by a core of young guys in their mid-twenties in several key positions, they will be in the playoffs for years to come.
With the win over the Broncos, they may not have defeated the Super Bowl contenders, but the latter were still on a five-game winning streak. During this successful period, their defense only gave up 16 points per game and caused an additional 16 turnovers.
So it was a big challenge for a young team that is still finding its way at times, but has just secured its fourth win in five games.
Return to the light
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The Texans’ last good season was 2019. It’s not like it was a lifetime ago, but the rebuild seemed painful because the team was plummeting. It was 4-12 in 2020, then 4-13 in 2021 and 3-13-1 last year.
At times it was believed that the organization was moving backwards instead of forwards. There was the whole Deshaun Watson fiasco. There were three head coaches and another interim coach. The locker room was cleaned with dynamite, not a broom.
The first really good move was convincing DeMeco Ryans to become head coach. At 39, his rise since retiring as a player in 2015 has been phenomenal.
In his previous life, he was a standout linebacker for the Texans from 2006 to 2011. He knows the Houston market, he cares more about the team’s success than any other candidate, and having worked hard on the field just a few years ago, he had no trouble connecting with his players.
Stroud and the others
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Obviously, a good rebuild will never be complete without a true franchise quarterback on board. In CJ Stroud there is no longer the slightest doubt that the Texans have found their man.
Without shining against the Broncos (274 yards, one touchdown pass), he led the offense and it was the ninth game without a turnover at his expense.
The best thing about the Texans is that the 22-year-old center is far from the only young person shining.
Receiver Tank Dell, who unfortunately left the game after an injury, is only 24 years old and is Stroud’s favorite target. Nico Collins, also 24, had the best game of his young career with nine receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.
The defense has improved significantly under Ryans’ leadership and some young players are just starting to shine.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. made two interceptions at the expense of Russell Wilson. He has three straight games with at least one interception and is only 22 years old. His third-year partner, 24-year-old safety Jalen Pitre, also makes his share of big plays.
Quarterback chaser Will Anderson Jr. will be the rock of the defense for years to come. He was a monster against the Broncos with two sacks and seven pressures. One of Stingley’s two interceptions came after Anderson scored a touchdown at the line of scrimmage.
It’s simple, it’s everywhere and as the northerners once said: the best is yet to come. He is only 22 years old.
In short, the Texans didn’t just rebuild. Everything suggests that they have rebuilt the foundations of a team that has everything it takes to become truly special.